To unravel the mystery, three employees volunteer to work a nine-hour dusk-till-dawn shift. In the dead of the night, they’ll patrol the empty showroom floor, investigate strange sights and sounds, and encounter horrors that defy the imagination.

A traditional haunted house story in a thoroughly contemporary setting, Horrorstör comes packaged in the form of a glossy mail order catalog, complete with product illustrations, a home delivery order form, and a map of Orsk’s labyrinthine showroom.

Review:

Horrorstör is a genre-bending mashup of haunted house horror story, and social commentary humor. Amy, the protagonist, is working a dead-end retail job at this Ikea-knockoff box store chain, stuck in a spiral of debt and feeling adrift in life. So, basically an experience we all share at some point, especially in our twenties. I can’t say the characters are really well developed, but they definitely feel like people you’ve met.

Before you tell me you don’t like horror, let me tell you: neither do I.

And it’s ok, because although this book is full of creepiness and some typical scares (psychological more than gore) it’s not so immersive or descriptive that you feel scared. I think it’s the social commentary about consumerism, the constant ties between box stores (and marketing) and insane asylum horrors, etc.

Plus, each chapter features a schematic and marketing blurb straight out of an Ikea catalog. Pay close attention to the SKUs listed there.

As someone in marketing, I give it two thumbs up for the bizarre but successful blend of humor and horror. Certainly some jobs have felt like the fictional panopticon!

(which, since I wrote an essay on it in my Brit Lit class senior year, I can tell you has NOTHING to do with what they say it does in the book. The concept was that everyone could see you all the time, with the idea that human nature makes us strive to act our best when we think we’re being watched and judged by our community. So under that constant pressure, criminals would be more mindful about good behavior.)

It’s definitely a great choice for Halloween. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys different books; those who like both haunted houses and social commentary humor; and anyone who believes marketing is at least 25% evil.

Rating: B

Beth is a coffee-fueled perpetual-motion machine. She’s a hobby-addicted bibliophage who makes cruelty-free mineral eye shadows (inspired by novels) at her shop Printcess. When she isn’t in front of a computer screen or playing makeup mad scientist, she can be found fishing, baking, listening to audiobooks, gaming, gardening, and making lists.

Title: AverySeries: The Chronicles of KayaAuthor: Charlotte McConaghyGenre: Fantasy, Romance, Young Adult, ParanormalPublisher: Random House AustraliaRelease Date: February 2nd, 2015Format: E-bookPages: 384Source: Given in exchange for a review

Synopsis:

The people of Kaya die in pairs. When one lover dies, the other does too. So it has been for thousands of years – Until Ava.

For although her bondmate, Avery, has been murdered and Ava’s soul has been torn in two, she is the only one who has ever been strong enough to cling to life. Vowing revenge upon the barbarian queen of Pirenti, Ava’s plan is interrupted when she is instead captured by the deadly prince of her enemies.

Prince Ambrose has been brought up to kill and hate. But when he takes charge of a strangely captivating Kayan prisoner and is forced to survive with her on a dangerous island, he must reconsider all he holds true…

In a violent country like Pirenti, where emotion is scorned as a weakness, can he find the strength to fight for the person he loves… even when she’s his vengeful enemy?

Avery is a sweeping, romantic fantasy novel about loss and identity, and finding the courage to love against all odds.

Review:

This book is eloquently written and completely captivates your heart; I found myself with tears of joy and tears of sorrow on more than one occasion. I fell in love with the characters – their personalities, their quirks, their relationships. Each one of them had a purpose and their stories intertwined beautifully. You couldn’t help but feel their passion, fear, and the weight that they bore. The plot held many twists and turns that left you breathless and wanting more. I found myself on the edge of my seat on more occasions than I can count. I read this book in less than 24 hours because I simply could not put it down. Charlotte McConaghy has an amazing way with words. When she describes the characters loss or joy, you don’t read it you FEEL it. Avery has it all.

Rating: A

Kenzie is your average coffee drinking, Harry Potter reading, nature loving, scarf wearing, plaid coveting, refuse to own an umbrella Washingtonian. She’s a Seahawks fan, fiance to an amazing guy, mom to three boys, fur mom to a horse and two dogs, and student majoring in family and child services. She loves to read, ride horses, watch Netflix, stalk Pinterest, make lists, and blog.

Synopsis:

“What are my qualifications to write this book? None really. So why should you read it? Here’s why: I’m a little fat. If a thin guy were to write about a love of food and eating I’d highly recommend that you do not read his book.”

Bacon. McDonalds. Cinnabon. Hot Pockets. Kale. Stand-up comedian and author Jim Gaffigan has made his career rhapsodizing over the most treasured dishes of the American diet (“choking on bacon is like getting murdered by your lover”) and decrying the worst offenders (“kale is the early morning of foods”). Fans flocked to his New York Times bestselling book Dad is Fat to hear him riff on fatherhood but now, in his second book, he will give them what they really crave—hundreds of pages of his thoughts on all things culinary(ish). Insights such as: why he believes coconut water was invented to get people to stop drinking coconut water, why pretzel bread is #3 on his most important inventions of humankind (behind the wheel and the computer), and the answer to the age-old question “which animal is more delicious: the pig, the cow, or the bacon cheeseburger?”

Review:

I honestly expected Food: A Love Story to be more like a collection of essays than a collection of stand-up comedy bits. But it reads EXACTLY like watching Gaffigan do stand-up (which, as I’m a Gaffigan fan, was no issue at all).Like traditional cookbooks, it’s divided into sections for main dish, dessert, etc. with sub-sections like “Crackers: Adult Junk Food”. This is a super quick read because each “bit” is self-contained, and only a page or two in length. They’re filled with caustic, true observations about our love of food (not just Gaffigan’s) especially food that tastes great but we know is bad for us.

He hits the nail on the head with these universal experiences. And the voice is so authentically him that I found myself hearing it as if he was performing standup right in front of me. I could even visualize it.

One warning: if you’ve seen a lot of his standup, it may feel redundant. I still laughed at the Hot Pocket sub-section, though. To me, a funny truism is a funny truism even if I hear it three or four times.

If you enjoy stand-up comedy, food, and humorous essays, you’ll like this one!

Rating: B

Beth is a coffee-fueled perpetual-motion machine. She’s a hobby-addicted bibliophage who makes cruelty-free mineral eye shadows (inspired by novels) at her shop Printcess. When she isn’t in front of a computer screen or playing makeup mad scientist, she can be found fishing, baking, listening to audiobooks, gaming, gardening, and making lists.

Title:The New World: A NovelSeries:Return to Treasure IslandAuthor:Andrew MotionGenre:Historical Fiction, FantasyPublisher:CrownRelease Date:October 9th, 2014Format:HardcoverPages:368Source:Blogging for Books, in exchange for review

Synopsis:

Washed ashore after escaping Treasure Island, young Jim Hawkins and his companion Natty find themselves stranded on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Their ship, the Nightingale, has been destroyed, and besides one other crew member, they are the only survivors. Before they can even grasp the full scope of their predicament, they realize they are not alone on the beach. When a band of Native Americans approaches the shore in a threatening fury, they brutally kill Jim and Natty’s last shipmate, rob their dead crew, and take the two desperate survivors hostage.

Suddenly, Jim and Natty are thrust into an adventure that takes them all across the unruly American South. Starting with a desperate escape from a violent chief who obsessively keeps close on their trail, they join up with a troupe of entertainers who take them to a thriving and dangerous New Orleans, and seek the closest port so they can set sail for home once again.

Review:

The New World is the sequel to Silver, the continuation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic, Treasure Island. And I’m conflicted about it.

On the one hand, it was an action/adventure much the same as Silver, with historical basis and the inclusion of a lot of First Nations presence (yay diversity).

On the other hand, the characters are esoteric and distant, and difficult to care about- even more so than in Silver, where at least the nautical and survival-on-an-island themes kept the pace engaging.

Natty is so mercurial and kept throwing out little tidbits like “If you don’t know it, Jim, you never will.” I re-read passages trying to see whatever the undercurrent was that I missed, but it’s just…nothing. She’s vague and odd and it’s never explained. Or I’m too dimwitted to pick up on what Andrew Motion is hinting at. And that bothered the heck out of me. Also, Jim is prone to narrative-interrupting daydreaming in which he’s actually prescient. Which is odd, to say the least.

Lastly, the story just never ended. That was charming at first, in an Odysseus kind of way. But by the end of the book, it was just annoying and felt too commercialized, as if the author was hoping that by presenting open-ended questions instead of a satisfying conclusion, we readers would be compelled to continue the series. Call me crazy, but I’m compelled to continue a series if I love the characters, pace, and writing- not because there’s a lack of closure.

I can only recommend this to people who really loved Silver. Unless your thing is super mysterious characters and zero closure.

Rating: C

Beth is a coffee-fueled perpetual-motion machine. She’s a hobby-addicted bibliophage who makes cruelty-free mineral eye shadows (inspired by novels) at her shop Printcess. When she isn’t in front of a computer screen or playing makeup mad scientist, she can be found fishing, baking, listening to audiobooks, gaming, gardening, and making lists.

Synopsis:

Never Underestimate the Power of a Liberated Witch.

Despite swirling rumors of war, seventeen-year-old Bianca Monroe is living without restraint for the first time. With no curse to hinder her and her enemy, Miss Mabel, imprisoned in an impervious dungeon, she’s finally free.

Nothing lasts forever. The Southern Network attacks, launching Bianca, her beloved father, and everyone she cares for into a war controlled by the clandestine witch Angelina. Chatham City burns, Guardians die, and Bianca soon realizes the only witch who can save the Central Network is the conniving Miss Mabel.

Will setting Miss Mabel free save everyone she loves, or unleash a greater evil on the Central Network and all of Antebellum? Is Bianca strong enough to make the right choice?

The High Priest’s Daughter is the third book in the thrilling new fantasy collection The Network Series. It’s a haunting tale about growing up and finding the strength within.

Review:

I generally do not like to give out 5 star reviews, but I have been addicted to this series since I read the very first book — Mildred’s Resistance. Not to mention, I stayed up past midnight reading on a work night because I could not put the book down. The High Priest’s Daughter is full of action, budding romance, mystery, plot twists, and suspense. The main character and heroine, Bianca, is a strong female lead that full of wit. Bianca has been put under an immense amount of pressure throughout this series and the stakes keep on getting higher. The supporting characters all have unique personalities that mesh well with the story and keep the story interesting as well as moving along.

In this book, the third in the series, both the characters and the story continue developing and piquing your interest. Katie’s descriptions and writing are fantastic — I can clearly picture and easily believe what is going on. While this book is geared towards young adults, I think it is a great read for all audiences! I cannot wait for the next book!

Rating: A

Kenzie is your average coffee drinking, Harry Potter reading, nature loving, scarf wearing, plaid coveting, refuse to own an umbrella Washingtonian. She’s a Seahawks fan, fiance to an amazing guy, mom to three boys, fur mom to a horse and two dogs, and student majoring in family and child services. She loves to read, ride horses, watch Netflix, stalk Pinterest, make lists, and blog.

Title:The Girl at MidnightSeries:The Girl at MidnightAuthor:Melissa GreyGenre:Fantasy, Young AdultPublisher:Delacorte PressRelease Date:April 28th, 2015Format:HardcoverPages:357Source:Won from The Book Rat

Synopsis:

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she’s ever known.
Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she’s fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it’s time to act.Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, though if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it’s how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.But some jobs aren’t as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

Review:

The Girl at Midnight is an urban fantasy young adult novel with elements of Celtic/Norse mythology. I’ve seen it compared to Laini Taylor’s work, which I think is an unfair comparison (it has elements from a number of urban fantasy YA books I’m familiar with, but it’s still its own thing). It was good, but not great. As a story, the premise is not entirely original, although well executed. Largely, it’s driven by the MC.

As a main character, Echo was fun. She’s a sassy thief with a shady but tragic backstory, and the story revolves consistently around her. There is a love triangle, but neither suitor is vilified to make the other a better choice (thank goodness). It’s a bit predictable, or it was for me anyway, but it’s still a fun, quick read. I only wish it explored the underground city more, as I was left with a lot of questions about side characters.
In all, it reminded me of several RPG sessions I’ve played back in my college days (most notable Amber diceless). It was a fun, shallow, action-filled romp, like a summer blockbuster movie. I recommend it for fans of YA urban fantasy who are in the mood for that sort of quick read. Personally, I wasn’t invested in the characters enough to continue the series.

Rating: B

Beth is a coffee-fueled perpetual-motion machine. She’s a hobby-addicted bibliophage who makes cruelty-free mineral eye shadows (inspired by novels) at her shop Printcess. When she isn’t in front of a computer screen or playing makeup mad scientist, she can be found fishing, baking, listening to audiobooks, gaming, gardening, and making lists.